Scott Holt Band Leaves Crowd Wanting More

The Scott Holt Band was one of the highlights of a fantastic JazzFest in July this year. Holt brings a wide range of blues (even dabbling into country and some rock during his sets) to his shows but the connection he makes with the audience at his shows is what keeps people coming back and telling their friends about him. Saturday night (September 21) was no exception.

Holt, along with drummer extraordinaire Tom Larson and bassist Doug Swanson returned to Sioux Falls at Old Skoolz (921 E. 8th Street) to jam for a sold out crowd. From crowd favorite originals like "Outlines", "Civil War" and "Tick", to covers from Bob Dylan to Otis Rush to his old boss Buddy Guy to his first inspiration Jimi Hendrix, Holt, Larson and Swanson play off each other and to the audience so well.

What may be even more impressive is that Holt was under the weather for the show Saturday night. They had played an outdoor show in rainy Minneapolis Friday night and Holt woke up congested and coughing after two weeks criss-crossing the country by van. Did he make excuses or cut the show short? Nope. He did explain early during the first set (yes, they did two full sets) that he was feeling a little rough which may affect his singing voice a bit. That was it. After that, it was one hell of a ride!

It got me thinking about how 'major' stars would have handled it. If a Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Justin Bieber were feeling like crap. The show likely would have been called off or if they actually performed, it would be a shortened show and they'd be off on their private jet 30 minutes after saying "thank you, goodnight". Now that's not meant to offend fans of those bands. I've seen Kid Rock twice and enjoyed the hell out of it both times. He wants to make sure that everyone has a good time and feels like they got value for the ticket price. I can appreciate that. But the reality is when Rock played Sioux Falls earlier this year, he literally flew in while the opening bands were on stage and 30 minutes after the show he was back on a private jet flying home after a 90 minute set.

Holt, Larson and Swanson have spent the past two weeks in a van going from their home in Nashville to Utah to start this run, up through Montana, North Dakota, down into Iowa, into Minnesota, here to South Dakota and another show Sunday in Iowa before heading home for a week when they'll start another run. When they played JazzFest in July, it was just a one off show which meant they drove over 900 miles each way (about 14 hours each way) to do a set before driving home the next day! Saturday night, doing what was about their 12th show in 14 days, the band played nearly four HOURS. Ticket price? $15.

The next time you think there's nothing to do in Sioux Falls, check the schedule over at Old Skoolz or any of the live music venues here in town. There are some amazing local and national bands that are through here on a regular basis, leaving everything on the stage. Get out. Support the venues. But a CD or a shirt from the band you're going to see. If it wasn't for local bands and road dog musicians, there wouldn't be bands like the Rolling Stones, Eagles, Motley Crue, etc. Hope to see you at a show soon.